Day Seven : Brief Sunshine, Amateur Medical Treatment, and Getting Ready For The Grand Tour

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Today’s post will be brief.

My focus today is to try and straighten out a severe upper back strain, and more importantly, to survive the experimental medical treatment that I’ve been subjected to. Normally I wouldn’t show a picture of my skin from the waist up, but I have put it out there so there is proof, just in case things go awry, and Sue needs them for litigation.



I have a strain spanning my shoulder blades and every so often a shock of pain causes an involuntary spasm, causing me to drop or twitch. It qualifies me as a member of Monty Python’s Ministry of Silly Walks, a club I want nothing to do with.



Unfortunately the local physiotherapist doesn’t work on Friday so it’s desperate measures for desperate times. We walked down to the local Farmacia where the friendly, English speaking staff saw to my needs. The assistant’s English was better than mine and after I asked for Deep Heat type anti inflammatory creams, I was shown the range of tapes that you use to control and contain muscle movement. Not the first time my English has failed me.

Just down the road is Babbo, so after a medicinal pastry and a coffee, I’m feeling better already.

I also have a range of hot compresses, super voltaren, and anti inflammatory drugs to push things along. Tomorrow we head to France, and this morning I could barely get out of bed, so fingers crossed.

This time tomorrow we will be sitting in Reims with a glass of champagne. We are doing a tour of the ‘Caves’, which is where the champagne is made underground, and three serves of sampling will be divided into two, as I am the nominated driver.

This being the first time since 2007 that I have driven in Europe, they will need every drop.

Packing to go, relaxing, and hopefully surviving these tingling currents running through my back are all that’s left of the day, so here’s a few incriminating pics, and I’ll catch up tomorrow.

We will watch the AFL final later on today, so there’s a total media and social media ban, to maintain an element of surprise.

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Photos

Enjoying A Surprise Burst of Sunshine on Tim’s Balcony.
This is yours truly , contemplating the options if my dodgy back doesn’t improve. Not really worth worrying about, I’ll be going tomorrow regardless.

Alternative Medicine From GG Patisserie
These pastries go a long way to helping you forget your problems.

Pâté au Riesling
A standard of Luxembourg culinary heritage, this gellied meat pâté, now available in various flavours, was invented as a workman’s snack, that would last through the day. It is now a local favourite in patisseries and charcuterie houses throughout Luxembourg

Backyard Electric Therapy
This was new from Amazon this morning, and I think Tim and Natalia were just waiting for the appropriate Guinea Pig to come along, to test it for safety. It apparently shoots currents between the pads and stimulates muscle recovery. We’ll see.

Cheaper than a massage.
A €54 trip to the farmacia and I have a show bag of goodies. It should do the trick

Comments

[Susan Petch]

TENS Machine
Looks like you might be using a TENS machine on your back. My parents used these too. Good luck with your healing.

[Ali & Colin]

Hi
Hope all those goodies do the trick with your back. Sorry we missed you to say bon voyage but have an awesome trip. Enjoying the blog

[sherrys]

Thanks
I have the TENS machine buzzing away now, and thankfully I think it’s working. I’m not allowed to carry anything, so I should have developed a bad back years ago. We’ll catch up when we get back.